The Secret
by thenameisdenise
Summary: The 12th Precinct's team's friend Sam seems to be involved in a clandestine political matter when a high-profile political adviser was murdered. What she reveals wasn't what Castle and Beckett expected.
1. Chapter 1

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is completely AU. I wanted to write a story about the Bracken storyline. ITBOTB gave me an idea (because of the undercover and fluent-in-Russian thing but I'm going to use my mother tongue. I can read and understand a bit of Spanish but not fluently. I can also read and understand a bit of Irish Gaelic but also not fluently. I don't want to use Google Translate for what I have in mind.) but then my story doesn't have Caskett romance in it. Just how I will resolve the Bracken (and Vulcan Simmons) storyline and give him redemption. I know it's an unpopular opinion but it will make him realise what he had done is bad.**_

_**And since this is AU, there is a new character who plays a sort of major role, connected to everything.**_

_**The whole story is already outlined.**_

_**This is my first Castle fanfic and my first story here. I don't own any of the other characters except for Sam. I have previously written FRIENDS one-shot fanfic but only published it in our forum.**_

_**Reviews are welcome.**_

* * *

"No! Please! No!" he pleaded. "Don't do this."

"Tell me what the secret is and I'll spare you," a booming yet calm voice answered."The secret you have kept all these years. I need it."

The man, on his knees and tied up, his face bloodied and body bruised from the blows of the baseball bat, just looked at his captor and said, "I can't. He trusted me with it and I shall keep it until the day I die."

The large man, a life-sized teddy bear with a menacing demeanor, smiled at him. "Then death shall it be."

* * *

The 12th Precinct was already abuzz when Samantha Rodriguez arrived. There were FBI and Secret Service out front and she was subjected to being checked, as she was just a visitor on request by her friend, Detective Kate Beckett. Sam, as she was fondly called, saw her firend and her team in front of the murder board.

"Kate!" she called. "Is something wrong? I had a full body check downstairs."

"Hey Sam," Beckett greeted her. "There is something alright. A high-profile murder. Emilio Sanchez, a retired adviser to politicians. He was found dead in an abandoned warehouse in Brooklyn this morning, tortured and strangled. No suspects yet but we assume it's someone who didn't like his mingling with people with power. Sam?"

Beckett looked at her friend. She stopped in her trackes just before she reached the board. "Everything okay?" the detective asked. Sam had barely heard what Beckett had said. She stared at the picture of the victim on the murder board. She nearly passed out and balked to see who it was. Only when Esposito spoke did she get out of her reverie.

"Hey! Beckett asked if you're okay."

"Yeah," Sam stammered. "It's just...I know him. Knew."

* * *

Beckett looked at her friend. "How did you know him?" she asked. She knew little of Sam. They only had met a few months before, on a case related to a string of robbery-homicide in some of the wealthy homes on the Upper East. She, Espo, Ryan, and Castle actually arrested the girl because some of the weapons used were evidence that seemed to point to her. When they proved it wasn't her, her talent in being a contortionist - she was a rhythmic gymnast - were used, Catherine Zeta-Jones-style in _Entrapment_, when the perp struck again, this time in a museum. Other than that, all Beckett knew about the girl is that she is a martial artist, taught in Japan by the best sensei for years. But that short time Kate knew Sam, she was always happy. In fact, all the people at the precinct call her the female counterpart of Castle especially when it comes to certain topics such as _Doctor Who_. They have such a dynamic that Castle thinks of her as the little sister that he never had. And she's the only one who can stand up to Captain Gates, firmly calling her "Ma'am" when no one does because she says it's not proper for a woman to be called "Sir". Seeing her in this state, speechless, staring at the board, her usually light-filled eyes shrouded in sadness...and fear. It's not the Sam she knew and she's not used to it.

It took a while before her friend replied, "Uh, yeah. He's my, my godfather."

"Godfather?" Castle, who was looking at the board thinking about plausible theories, turned around. "You've got connections?"

"Sort of. But it was a long time ago."

"When was the last time you saw him?" Beckett asked, concern on her face.

"Erm, a couple of days ago. He was telling me something. Excuse me." Sam exited the bullpen and went to the break room.

"Should we?" asked Castle.

"Give her some space," Beckett answered. "She seems really distraught. Meanwhile, any update on CSU report?"

"Nothing much except that he wasn't killed in the warehouse," Ryan said, walking to them. "No slugs, no fingerprints, no blood. His body was probably dumped there. They're also running DNA just in case someone left a little something on the wire."

"So, he was beaten up before being strangled," Beckett said thoughtfully, smacking her lips. "It's pretty bold."

"Possible that the murderer is military," Castle offered.

"There is a possibility since everything is done with precision," Esposito said. "Only question is why."

"His political connections," Ryan suggested. "Someone hired our killer to do this to Sanchez."

"Work that angle, Kev, and see who his friends are, run his financials and see if there is anything connected to any politician. See if he was a member of any PAC," Beckett said. "Meanwhile, I'll see what I can get from Sam."

* * *

Castle and Beckett went to the break room and saw Sam sitting at the table, distracted. She hadn't seen them coming.

"Sam?" Beckett said tentatively. "I know this is the wrong time but I need to ask you something."

Sam looked up at her friend. She's not crying. She hadn't cried in a long time. "Sure. What is it?"

"Did Emilio have any family here? Someone we can call to tell them about this." "No. He didn't marry. He was single and he enjoyed it. He told me that he can do what he wanted to because there were no strings attached," she said dolefully. "I just kind of wished now he did. He has a distant cousin in Sacramento but other than that..."

"I'm sorry," Beckett said. "I know how you feel. It really hurts when someone close to you, someone who you knew from when you were a kid, dies."

"Yeah," Sam said. "I need to be alone. Please." Her demeanor suddenly changed. Beckett noticed this change and went on, "Sam, I know..."

"Please!" the girl exclaimed. "Leave me alone." She still isn't crying.

"Kate, let's," Castle said. They left the girl in the break room.

* * *

A few hours later, there still was no development and they're still in the dark as to what went wrong with their vic. Lanie had called earlier that she saw no GSW, just lots of bruises on his back that clearly said he was beaten with either a baseball bat or a mace and looked like a fraternity initiation gone wrong. The chicken wire was a red herring. He was already dead when they wrapped it around his neck. Beckett was getting frustrated when Sam approached her table.

"We need to talk," the girl said with determination. "In private."

"Sure," Beckett said. "The interrogation room is free. I don't think anyone is in the observation room so it's private."

"Off the record, too, please," Sam said.

Beckett nodded.

"You can bring Castle. He has to know, too."

Kate wondered why Castle was involved. Maybe because Sam saw him as a brother, an accomplice. Nevertheless, she called for him to come. "Interrogation room 1. Sam wants to talk to us."

In the interrogation room, Beckett disconnected the microphones. She had disconnected the cameras in the observation room a while ago.

"What do you want to talk about?" she asked.

Sam was standing and pacing the room. "I think I know why Uncle Emil was killed." She looked at Beckett with sad eyes. "He was keeping a secret from everyone."

Castle looked at Beckett. The same surprised face he has right now is etched on his fiancee's face. "A secret? An important one worth killing for?"

"Yes," Sam replied. "A secret that will either ruin the career of a powerful politician or can be used in his advantage."

The couple looked at each other, both wondering how Sam and their vic would be involved in a clandestine political matter. Sam continued.

"The thing is, this politician and Uncle Emil were the best of friends. When this man decided to run for office, he asked Uncle Emil to keep this secret. It wasn't to be told in any way, unless this secret is ready."

"'Ready'? " Castle asked. "Is this secret a person?"

"Yes."

Beckett and Castle looked at each other again. This was serious. And their friend was right. If this secret is a person, it can cause the fall of the politician or can be used as an advantage.

"Do you know who this secret is?" Beckett asked, tentatively.

"Of course," Sam said. Then she hesitated. "I am the secret. My father is Senator William Bracken."


	2. Chapter 2

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: A little of Sam's background. Nothing much happens. Sorry. There is a short Caskett moment, though.**_

_**Thank you to those who reviewed the first chapter. Hopefully, you guys will like this too.**_

_**Again, please review. :) **_

* * *

"Wait, wait," Beckett stammered, perplexed. "You're saying that you're the secret and that Bracken has an illegitimate daughter?"

Sam stopped pacing and leaned against the wall. She's distracted and was thinking if it was too soon that she told Castle and Beckett what she was hiding. She caught Beckett's eye and didn't even try to avoid it.

"Yes," she finally said after a few minutes. "Him and a woman named Clara, a Spanish-Filipino immigrant, whose parents fled the Marcos regime during the Martial Law in the Philippines. She was 16 and he was 18 when I was born."

She started pacing again. Castle, both enthralled and confused by what he was hearing, said, "What has it got to do with Emilio?"

"Uncle Emil was also Filipino but was born here. He knew Clara and he was the one who introduced them to each other. He knew everything between and about them."

"So he was more than a friend," Beckett said. "He's more like a confidante, a trusted person." She turned to Castle. "He was killed because his murderer discovered the secret."

Castle agreed."The question is does his killer know that the secret is a person."

They both looked at Sam, in sync, as always.

"If Emilio's killer discovered the secret, then you're in danger," Beckett declared. "I'll go and ask uniforms watch your apartment. I may also need uniforms to be with you."

"No," Sam exclaimed. "It's not me who is in danger. It's..." Again, she hesitated. "Bracken is the one in danger."

Beckett looked at her friend questioningly, "How?"

"If I was discovered, I should have been dead. Hours ago. It's clear that Uncle Emil didn't divulge anything." She thought about something else. "Bracken, my father...it will be used against him. Who, I don't know. He's a shoo-in for the presidency."

"I still don't see it," Castle said.

"The pact Uncle Emil and my father made, it included hiding my name. My real name is Diana. Samantha is my second name and what I used to distance myself from him. Rodriguez is my mother's surname."

"You're still in danger," Beckett insisted. "Uniforms will be in your place..."

"No. Put a security detail on him, not me," Sam said. "I can handle myself."

With that, she walked out of the interrogation room and slammed the door.

* * *

Beckett found her friend sitting on the staircase going to the fifth floor. She went to her, earl grey tea in hand and offered it to her.

"Thanks," Sam said. "Am sorry I walked out on you and Castle back there."

"It's fine. You shouldn't have told us, not yet. You weren't ready."

"It needed to be told, ready or not. Uncle Emil getting killed just raised the stakes for Bracken." She paused as she took a sip of tea. "He promised my father he will take that secret to the grave. I presume he did." She wiped a tear, finally finding the release.

Beckett sat beside Sam and comforted her. "When you walked out of the interrogation room, Castle and I wondered what happened between you and your father. You seem a bit harsh toward him."

Sam sighed. "Estranged. Because of what he did, what he became."

Beckett looked at her. She was now getting a clear vision of why this girl had entered their lives. "You knew about the kidnappings and the murders?"

"Yes," came the answer. "I was a teen when he became ADA. One night I overheard him talking on the phone about bank transfers. I knew he was on to something shady. I confronted him and he said it was nothing. But I knew it was something wrong. I started investigating on my own and discovered the bank statements. I knew he wasn't getting that much as salary. So, I again went to him, asked him, about it, and he denied it again. I was 18 and it was a mistake granting me a small trust fund I could access when I reach that age. I took it and went away. I went to London."

Beckett couldn't believe what she had heard. She trusted this woman and she kept secrets from her. She thought it could be for the better but still, their was hurt in what she was feeling. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You might not like it," Sam said, woefully. "I know you're happy now, with Castle. Your friends kept saying that." She smiled a little. "I don't want to ruin everything, especially with the wedding coming up."

Kate knew Sam meant well. To mask the hurt, which she knew Sam knew by the tone of her voice, she insisted her friend continue.

"I went back here after some time because he asked me to. I thought everything was alright. He was in his second term in Congress and was planning on running again. I thought he changed. But he didn't. I saw him talking with a guy, tall, quite stocky but good-looking, Irish guy, funny name."

At this point, Beckett's heart rate went double time. She knew who Sam was talking about but she didn't dare interrupt.

"Bracken gave him a piece of paper with something written on it. The guy said he could do it. I thought nothing of it until I saw the reports, the newspapers he had clipped. From that moment on I knew he hasn't changed, not one bit." She wiped a tear away. "I shouted at him and promised him that I will never, ever go back home, even if he asked me to. I travelled the world, settling in Japan, studied ninjutsu and became the best kunoichi I could be, finishing every assignment as cleanly as possible."

Beckett balked at her friend's words. But she asked, "What made you come back?" Perhaps, she already found forgiveness for the secrets her friend kept from her.

"I don't know. Something drove me back here," Sam replied. "Perhaps I got tired of travelling. That was my first reason. And then I met you."

Beckett was surprised.

"Your name rang a bell. Then I realised that one of the people my father killed was named Beckett and looked oddly familiar. I realised she was your mum," the girl said. "I knew I had to somewhat avenge what happened to you."

A moment of silence passed as both women tried to digest everything. Beckett was the first to break the silence. "Why?"

"I wanted to show my father what I had become, an assassin. Just like who he employs to do his dirty work. Imagine that. His own daughter killing for money," Sam said sarcastically. "But it wasn't about the money, for me. It was about proving to my father that what he did was wrong. I became who I am so he could see."

"But it's against why you ran away in the first place."

"I know," Sam sighed. She took another sip of tea.

"Doesn't your mother know?" Beckett asked.

"I wish," Sam said. "My mother's dead."

"Oh sorry," Kate said. "I didn't mean to."

"It's alright," her friend smiled. "Curiosity doesn't always kill the cat." She laughed, a sad laugh. "Clara died before I was even born. Eclampsia. They had to cut her to get me out so I never knew her. I only knew her because of the stories my father had told me. They were really in love. Sheila was the mother I came to know and I'm not complaining. She took care of me even if I'm not hers."

She sighed, paused for a few moments. "Sometimes, I wonder what if my mum had been here. This probably wouldn't have happened."

She looked at Kate, "I envy you, you know."

"Why?" Beckett smiled.

"Whatever my father did was wrong. But you got to spend time with her and she got to raise you. And look what you've become."

* * *

That night, at the loft, Beckett told Castle what Sam had told her after dinner.

"I never knew," she said. "It's kind of heartbreaking when you think of it."

"Even if her father killed your mum?" Castle said, pouring another glass of wine.

Kate thought of it. She knew she should've been angry with her friend but she felt sympathetic towards her. What she told about her mother not being there her whole life, it was sad. It broke her heart when she told Kate how she had spent time with Johanna.

"Yeah," she replied. "I don't know why but I can't find a morsel of anger when she told me about her mother. I always thought she..." Beckett trailed off.

"I know," Castle said, standing up and went to her, kissing her on the forehead. "It's hard not to, especially when you see her bouncing from one room to another. If you don't know what she is, who she is at all, you might think she is a kid in an adult woman's body."

"It kind of reminds me of someone," Kate smiled. "Someone who, when we first met, was like a 9-year-old on a sugar rush."

Castle stroked her face and returned her smile. "Touche. And it's getting late. We should hit the sack. It's a big day tomorrow."

Beckett looked at him and said, "I'll follow." Yes. Tomorrow, she and Senator Bracken will meet again.


	3. Chapter 3

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: And here they go. He's back! The Senator's here and he's going to meet Sam again. The fun thing about writing this chapter is that he doesn't actually notice Beckett, or anyone else for that matter because he's overjoyed in seeing his estranged daughter. **_

_**Thanks again to those who reviewed the previous chapters. Hope you enjoy this one!**_

* * *

Castle and Beckett arrived early at the precinct the next day. The security downstairs have tightened since it was announced that Senator Bracken will be paying a visit. Kate didn't dread that she and her mum's killer would meet again. After all, he let her live when she was captured and tortured by drug lord Vulcan Simmons because he owed her when she saved him from his chauffer. But she thought that it all ended there. They both have a clean slate; both were even. Even if she bartered and continued with the deal that Bracken made with Smith and Montgomery, she's unsure if it's still valid. Right now though, she has a murder to solve and it's related to him, again.

When they reached her desk, she looked around to see if Sam was there. She wasn't, not yet. She checked her phone if her friend texted her.

"Hey," Castle said. "I know you're worried about her but she's a big girl. And she'll show up, if she wants to let her father know."

"I know," Kate smiled at Rick. "I'm just worried that she did something drastic."

"She may be who she is but I don't think she would do such a thing," Castle said. The elevator pinged announcing that someone has arrived. "And here she is."

Sam went into the bullpen, determination on her face. Albeit there is still sadness when she saw the murder board again, she greeted Beckett and Castle with her usual happy tone, "Hey. Any progress?"

"Not much. DNA test is a bust," Ryan announced, approaching Beckett's desk. "Financials are clean and I've asked around and he's not connected to any more powerful politicians. Not after he retired."

"Oh, you won't find anything. He might have been an adviser to several powerful names but I'm pretty sure he didn't usurped or threatened any of them for money," Sam declared, but she, Kate, and Rick looked at each other. They knew well that a part of it was a lie.

"So we're back to square one," Beckett said. "And I don't want to get you involved in more ways than one," she told Sam.

"I'm already involved," her friend answered. "Directly involved."

"Is there something you're not telling us?" Ryan enquired. "The three of you. I feel something weird is going on here."

The three looked at each other again, mentally wishing that one or the other would tell the other detective the truth. Castle was about to open his mouth when the elevator pinged the second time. They all turned around and saw that Bracken had arrived.

* * *

"Senator, we called you here to tell you that since a close confidante of yours was found murdered yesterday," Captain Gates said. They were having a closed door meeting in the conference room - her, the Senator, his security aide, Castle, and Beckett.

"I know," Bracken said. His tone wasn't the usual. He clearly was genuinely distracted and confused. "I don't know who the hell will do this to Emil."

"I express my condolences," Gates said. "But why do you think someone would want to kill him?"

Bracken contemplated on answering. When he answered it was simple yet questioning, "Because of me?"

He put his face on his hands. Beckett hasn't seen the Senator this distraught. She knew him as a fighter, possibly stoic. He has the same expression as Sam had when she saw the picture of Sanchez on the murder board. Castle seems to think so too when she snuck a glance at him.

When the Senator looked up again, his face was in anguish. "He was a good friend of mine. I knew him since we were in college. I trusted him with all my life. And now someone out there killed him to get to me."

"We still don't know that, Senator," Gates said. "Meanwhile, Detective Beckett, why don't you ask our consultant to come in and discuss matters with us."

"Sir, I'm not sure..." she trailed off.

"We need her now. She also knows our vic."

This confused Bracken and it showed. When Beckett opened the door, the look of surprise on his face was inevitable and Beckett knew he didn't see it coming.

When Sam entered the room, she stared at Bracken for a moment, more determination on her face to put everything to rest, and said, "Good morning," she paused. "Father."

It was civil but she can't keep the hurt and the anger in her voice. "It's great to see you here," she continued, sarcasm dripping on her tone that only Beckett and Castle seemed to catch.

Gates was surprised, too. "Father? I thought..."

"Yes. He's my father," Sam interrupted.

"Oh Diana!" Bracken exclaimed, standing up and hugging his daughter, a long hug, from a father who missed his child. This threw Beckett off. She hasn't seen any affection from Bracken at all. But Sam was a different matter. She didn't return the hug but she didn't push him away, either.

"We need to get down to business," Sam declared.

* * *

Detective Ryan and Esposito were watching what was going on in the conference room. When they saw Sam being hugged by Senator Bracken, they, too, were surprised.

"Whoa!" Ryan exclaimed. "What is happening?"

"I don't know, bro," Espo replied. "Maybe an affair?"

"Too young."

Espo slapped his friend on the shoulder. "That's why it's an affair."

"I don't know but she's completely not returning the feelings."

"She got hurt? He dumped her? Man. I would go to lengths just to be there right now."

"Hopefully, they'll tell us later. Let's just go and have coffee. Looks like Sam will ruffle feathers for quite sometime."

* * *

Castle noticed that the Senator cannot take his eyes off Sam. He knew what that look meant. It was the look of a father longing for his daughter to come back to him. He had missed her, terribly. But he had no remorse on his face. He did what he had to do to get where he is now.

"You are in danger so there should be security detail on you at all times," Sam was saying. "We cannot let another car bombing happen to you."

"But, Princess," Bracken started. Princess was what he frondly called her because she wanted to be Princess Diana when she was in middle school. "You're the one who should have security..."

"I don't need it," she vehemently said. "Because I don't care." She looked at the Senator. "You're still my father, I'm still your daughter. But this doesn't mean that I forgive you. It's not that easy."

Captain Gates looked at her, puzzled. "Miss Rodriguez, I don't understand what is going on here but I am not one to pry. But, if what you're saying is true, then you do need some uniforms looking out for you, too."

"Thank you for the concern, Captain," Sam said. "We may have all known each other for a long time but you guys know me well enough that I can do this on my own." She smiled. "Kate, you said that you can assign uniforms?"

"I can. But..." Kate began. "We already talked about this," her friend smiled. "I'm fine."

There was some commotion outside and LT knocked on the door of the conference room.

"Sir," he said. "Captain Fowler wants to see you."

Castle and Beckett looked at each other. They knew who he was, from Beckett's ordeal a few months ago. He had asked her to go undercover but it all went wrong. It was clear from their faces that Fowler, the Captain from the Narcotics department, wanting to talk to Gates right now must only mean one thing.

* * *

In the break room, Ryan and Esposito also looked at each other, mirroring what Castle and Beckett are feeling, a few feet away.


	4. Chapter 4

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Look who's also back. This chapter is sort of a parallel to what Fowler had asked Beckett to do in ITBOTB. You can see the similarities between her and Sam but you can also see the differences, especially in their choices. **_

_**Also, am pretty sure in the real world there are no undetectable weapons. lol But let me have this. It's cool to think about how Sam's weapons aren't noticed by technology. **_

_**This will be a bit long. **_

_**Thanks again for the reviews! **_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

"Captain Gates," Fowler greeted as he entered the room. "We meet again. Detective Beckett and Mr Castle." He extended his hand and both took it. "Great to see both of you. I have some update on the matter..."

He paused and looked around. He was surprised to see Senator Bracken there with them and a woman - beautiful, lithe - whom he had only seen from the outside. He didn't know who she is but he knew that she also consults with Detective Beckett's team.

"Pardon me. I didn't realise you're here, Senator," he said. "Captain Fowler, Narcotics."

The Senator shook his hand. Fowler then turned to Sam. "I don't think we have met either."

Sam shook his hand and said, "Samantha Rodriguez. I'm a friend of Detective Beckett's and I'm here as a consultant."

"Good," Fowler said. "But we need to discuss some matters in private so if I may request that Senator Bracken and Ms Rodriguez to step out for a while."

"Captain Fowler," Beckett began. "I think you can say it in front of Sam. It wouldn't hurt to have an extra pair of eyes."

"Detective, I don't want anyone to jeopardise this case," Fowler said. "Nor do I want to involve anyone..." He paused as he looked at Beckett. "Anymore."

"With all due respect, Captain Fowler," Sam said. "I am already involved."

Fowler looked at her. He could feel that this person doesn't trust anyone easily. "Ms Rodriguez..."

"Sam. I feel too old when you call me that. And trust me, I don't feel old."

"Fine. Sam," Fowler said. "In what way are you involved? If you are talking about this new case, then you are wrong."

"I know about your case," she replied. "With Detective Beckett. It was pretty reckless of you, too."

Fowler looked at Kate and she shook her head. Sam noticed and continued, "No need to tell me. How I know about it, it's for me to know and you to find out. So, whether you like it or not, I'm here and I'm ready to deal with it."

Fowler was taken aback. The girl is headstrong, he'd give her that. He wasn't spoken to like that in all his years as a cop. But right now there are matters to be discussed and resolved. "Fine, then. But may I request the good Senator..."

"He stays," Sam interrupted. "I'm pretty sure he would want to hear what you need to say."

Captain Gates stepped up this time. "Sam..." she began but Sam spoke again.

"Sir." This is the first time she addressed her as such. "I cannot disclose why but I want him to know everything that goes on here."

She looked at Castle and Beckett. Both were hiding their amusement because they both know why Sam wanted her father to hear whatever Captain Fowler would say. They looked at Bracken and they knew that he cannot get out of this discussion, not whilst Sam is here. When she puts her mind on one thing, she can be pretty adamant about it and this is one of those situations.

"Alright, then," Gates said. "Captain Fowler, you can begin now." Fowler realised that there is no stopping Sam. With a defeated sigh, he stated the purpose of his visit. "We have found another drug den and we believe that it is connected to Lazarus."

* * *

"Vulcan Simmons is back?" Gates asked. "I thought he was under surveillance."

"You know how sneaky he is," Fowler replied. "And he has powerful connections, too, that's why we believe that no matter how many lairs he sets up, he will appear clean."

Beckett wanted to look at Bracken when Fowler was speaking but she stopped herself. She knew who Lazarus is and it wasn't Simmons. She stopped because she hadn't told anyone who he really was. She doubted that Sam even knew. Fowler continued speaking.

"We don't really know if it's Simmons'. It might be another."

"Sir, if it's Simmons', he has people. He might have hidden his connection with the drug dens but we can always assume that they are his," Beckett said.

"There is a possibility but this time we had assets infiltrate the lair," Fowler said. "Those assets came back and said that the people there were Spanish-speaking."

"We knew that Simmons hired Russian-speaking people before," Gates said. "So what's new in having Spanish-speaking people?"

"They were speaking another language," Fowler said. "Still seems Spanish but not at all. Our assets are still figuring out what it is but they're definitely not from the Mexican or Argentinian cartel families. The other intel we received is that they were hiring more contract killers."

Beckett said, "Sir, we can't put another cop to go undercover as a contract killer after what happened before."

"I know," Fowler replied. "After that incident, I cannot endanger the lives of our people anymore. My assets have been pulled out just because they might be discovered if we pull another operation. We will still intercept any calls to the number we found just in case someone takes the job."

"There is no need for undercover." All of them looked to see who spoke. "I can take it," Sam said.

"No!" Bracken exclaimed, standing up. "I'm not going to allow it. Not when you're going to be in danger."

Sam pulled a butterfly knife from her pocket, opened it with one hand - she was very quick and dexterous, and pointed it at Bracken. "I'm an adult. I can do whatever I want to do."

Everyone was on their feet. Beckett, whatever the feeling she has towards the Senator, tried to stop Sam from hurting him by pulling her arm away, Castle doing the same with the other arm. The Senator's security aide stood up and tried pulled the politician away. Captain Gates pulled out her gun, although not aiming it at the girl.

"What the hell are you thinking?" Fowler exclaimed. "How did you manage to have that in here? There are people downstairs who check visitors for weapons."

Sam finally calmed down and closed the knife, but still stared menacingly at her father. "Custom made. Undetectable. Stealth is one of the first abilities I've learned as a kunoichi. A ninja," she said, upon noticing Fowler's confusion. "It's why your operation can be done. I'll take it."

* * *

Back at the bullpen, Beckett seemed worried about their friend. She had been staring at her computer screen when Castle put a steaming cup of coffee in front of her. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Thanks," she said.

"You seem distracted," he said, sitting down on his usual chair, beside Beckett's desk.

"She's risking everything. I have to do something."

"You know Sammy. When she puts her head into something, you can't stop her."

"I know but what I don't is if Sam knows that Lazarus is Bracken."

Castle looked at the break room where Sam was. She is sitting on the table, having a cup of tea, talking on the phone.

"She might," he answered. "If she knows that you went undercover a few months ago. And didn't she say that she knew of what he had done, before?"

"Yes. But it doesn't mean that she knows what he is doing at the moment," Beckett said. She buried her face in her hands. "God, Castle. Everything is now getting out of hand. I know that I need to fight Bracken but now Sam..."

Castle stood up and put his arms around his fiancée. "I know. But this time I don't think you or him can owe each other anymore. This time, you just have to trust someone to do something." He took her hands off her face and held them tight. "We're all scared at what will happen but maybe she has a plan."

Beckett returned his hold. "I do hope she has one."

* * *

"They accepted," Sam said. They were back in the conference room and Sam had called the number Fowler got from his assets. "I'm in."

There was concern written in Fowler's face but he didnt' let it get to his mind. "Alright. When did they say you will meet?"

"Two days from now, at the Standish. As per my request."

"You bartered with them?" Fowler asked.

"I'm a professional. My way," came the reply.

"Alright then. I will give you everything you need so the operation will go smoothly."

"I'll take care of that. Everything I need, I'll provide."

Fowler looked at the girl in awe. She was not someone you can mess with. But he knew she still needs to follow their rules.

"There are still rules, Sam," he began. "You can't just go in without backup."

"Thank you but as before, I don't need anyone or anything. I can manage."

Fowler gave up. "Fine. I'll leave my assets' reports for you to study."

"I'll walk you out," Captain Gates said, opening the door.

After Fowler left, Bracken again voiced his concern. "Princess, you don't have to do this."

"Funny," Sam chuckled. "How your own daughter, your precious only daughter, turned out to be an assassin. Turned out to be the same person you employ to do your dirty work for you."

"Sir," his aide began, confused and clearly scared that this time, the girl will kill his charge.

"Please, leave us for a while," Bracken said.

The aide, concern still on his face, stood up and left reluctantly. Bracken continued, "Princess..."

"There is no need to apologise to me, if that's what you're going to do," Sam said. "You need to apologise to her." She pointed at Beckett, who was sitting across her father. "And don't pretend that I don't know what you did just because you denied it in front of me. I know everything. That's why I left and became who I am now."

Bracken was hurt. He loves his daughter, his only daughter, and she turned away from him. In his heart, he didn't want this to happen. "I only did what I did because of you," he said.

"No. You did what you did because of your ambition," she said. "You don't even feel remorse. I, on the other hand, regret everything that I have ever done. But it's what I have to do. It's a job. After a few assignments, I'm jaded." She paced back and forth and stopped again. "Our only difference is that I still feel regret and remorse. But look what's happening now. The tables have turned."

They sat in silence for a moment, thinking of what Sam had said. Then Castle spoke up, "Sam, as much as I hate your father, I think he's right. I think you don't need to endanger your life to gather whatever we need."

"It's not about whether this is right or wrong. I want it and I will do it. No one can stop me. Not anymore."

"Sam," Beckett said. "I agree with Castle on this one." She looked at Bracken. He cannot read what she is feeling but he knows she still wanted to be the one to pull the trigger on him. "Step down. You might not forgive whatever your father had done but you don't have to take it out on yourself."

"I appreciate your concern, Kate, Rick," she said. "But I can handle this."

* * *

_**Note that this ninja idea came before the episode tonight and before the title of the episode was released. Because of the Paley YouTube clip that Nathan wanted ninja assassins. I was playing with the story of a ninja becoming friends with the 12th Precinct team, but without the Bracken storyline. ITBOTB gave me the idea to play with that.**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Two days later and still a headstrong Sam. Here you will see her preferred weapons as she prepares to leave the comfort of the precinct and her friends. This chapter is also a parallel of the Beckett kidnapping. **_

_**Also, guys, whatever they said in the episode on Monday, this is different. I like my ninjas. :) **_

_**A short chapter since a lot happened in the previous one. :) **_

_**Again, enjoy!**_

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want a gun?" Captain Gates asked Sam as she prepared for the arranged meeting.

"I'm sure, Sir." She called her Sir again, the Captain's preferred title. "I've done everything using my own weapons."

Sam had laid out her weapons of choice on the table at the conference room. All of them were custom-made, undetectable swords and daggers. Her katanas, or the samurai sword, are both retractable, in a vest that serves as sort of holster, and can be put under her blouse without anyone noticing them. There's also holsters for her sais, the only weapon she uses that is outside her class. Her belt has inner pockets for several eight spoked shuriken - ninja stars. She's like Lara Croft, except a sword-wielding tomb raider. She started putting them on.

"No tent? I thought you're going camping what with all these," Castle said, joking. It was obvious in his tone that he's nervous about what this girl is about to throw herself into.

"No," Sam replied, smiling. "Somehow I managed to forget."

Beckett was seated at the nearest chair, quiet and deep in thought. She's also nervous for her friend. It was one thing that you were chosen to go undercover, or being an agent or an asset, but to volunteer to being a guinea pig is another. Sam is a civilian, even though she has the experience and the credits, however crude. These people she will encounter might be more than what she is used to. They might be lesser too but you can't take your chances on that. She did not sign a contract to be a hired killer this time around. This is not an assignment for her. It was more than that and Beckett was blaming herself for it, even though it didn't have to be that way.

"Kate?" a distant voice broke her thoughts. "Earth to Kate!"

When the fog cleared, she saw that Sam was talking to her.

"Have you heard a single word that we said?" her friend asked.

"Sorry. I was just thinking," she began.

"Not again. We've been through this and I will say it again: I can handle this."

Beckett looked at her with worried eyes then she looked at Gates. Those were the same words that she told her captain, right after she talked to Castle over the phone, before that night several months ago. "Sam..."

"Nope. Not having it."

Sam was in a positive disposition despite the fact that she will be an employ of a seemingly underground drug operation. Maybe it was also exhilaration, Beckett thought. She is after all an assassin. A ninja assassin, she laughed inwardly, thinking of Castle. But deep down, she's scared.

"Kate. Beckett," Sam called again. "I know you're scared and all but I can do this. I have done this before, more scared than you possibly for it would be me who's doing the deed."

Kate sighed. "I know. It's just," she paused. "You're a civilian and all and you really don't have to do this."

Sam walked over to her friend and sat beside her. "Yes. But this is my job. I'm used to it. Cops can be undercover but only to certain extent. Also, I don't want you to be involved, not too much, in this because the last time you were, you almost died. Someone only wanted you to be alive and sent that Russian badass to tell you that." She whispered the last sentence so only Beckett could hear it.

Kate took Sam's hands into hers. It was calm, not trembling at all. "Thank you. The NYPD owes you a great deal."

"No problem," Sam said.

She held out her other hand for Castle and motioned for Gates to take it, too. "You've all been good, no great friends to me. I'm the third wheel to all of you, or possibly the sixth."

They all laughed.

"And this is how I'm going to repay your kindness, though not counting the time you arrested me." More laughter. "It's not like we aren't all going to see each other again. When I get back, let's all have a beer or two. My treat."

"I'll take you on that," Castle said. "The Old Haunt is always open for friends."

When Sam stood up, Castle opened his arms and hugged her. "Oh my little sister. My comrade in jokes. How am I going to live with all the logical-ness here now?"

Sam laughed, "Oh am pretty sure Kate will cook up some weird story for you whilst am gone. Or Captain Gates. I'm sure you tell stories to your children. Pretend Rick's one of them."

"I will," Gates said, smiling. "Provided that he will leave my sight after." She winked.

Kate stood up and hugged Sam. "Be careful," she said.

"Don't worry. I will."

* * *

Sam arrived at the Standish around a quarter past two in the afternoon. She set the meeting at half past.

"_Fifteen minutes,_" she thought. She looked around and found an empty armchair. She sat there and waited for the man she called.

* * *

He saw her sit comfortably in the empty armchair. She was wearing a purple Burberry trench coat and Christian Louboutin low-heeled boots, the outfit she mentioned she would be wearing over the phone. Yes, she have funds to buy those ridiculously expensive items because she's a professional and had over a hundred assignments, out of the country. That's what she told him.

He checked and gripped his Smith and Wesson, just holstered inside his coat. Then he walked over to her.

* * *

A man appeared in front of Sam. She raised her eyes and surveyed him; she knows he has a gun holstered in his coat. He was it.

"Come with me," he said.

Sam stood up, no fuss, and said, "No need for your gun, pal. I come in peace."

"Whatever," he said, slightly pushing her, to the back exit. When they reached it, a car was waiting for them, a 2010 GMC Yukon XL.

"Nice wheels," she said.

He grunted an unintelligible response, grabbed the top of her head, and shoved her inside.


	6. Chapter 6

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Again, a parallel to Beckett meeting the Russians but Sam's not scared compared to Kate. A confrontation between Beckett and Bracken. And a cute little Caskett moment. I just had to.**_

_**The translation to what they were saying is in the bottom.**_

_**Again this will be long.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

"What happened?" Gates asked. She was with Beckett and Castle in the conference room listening to the conversation between Sam and the mystery man. They all heard a door shut.

"She was probably pushed in a car or a truck," Beckett replied. "But the signal is still strong."

Before Sam left, she left three four-spoked shuriken to Gates, Castle, and Beckett. All of them were made of high-grade plastic and wired with complicated listening devices and microphones.

_"I will have one of those in one of my belt pockets," she said. "Eight spokes so it won't seem to be the odd one out."_

_"I assume these are also custom-made and undetectable?" Castle asked, surveying the one she gave him._

_"Yes," Sam smiled._

_"Where can I buy these? I've always wanted undetectable spy stuff," he said excitedly._

_"Castle, focus," Beckett said._

_Sam winked at him, "Don't worry. I'll tell you when I get back."_

_Kate rolled her eyes._

_"Are you sure these will work and they won't be able to know you're wearing a wire?" Captain Gates asked._

_"Positive, Sir," Sam said. "Espionage. Another ability a ninja has. It has to be undetected so that they wouldn't know that someone among their number is a mole."_

_She adjusted her belt and her vest so everything is fitted snugly._

_"There are little earpieces there when you open the middle. Clear so that no one will know you're wearing one. There are also micro receivers all over the edges so I can hear what you are saying."_

"It seems like they're travelling," Castle observed. "I can hear the traffic in the background."

They listened for what seemed like an hour or so and then the sound of metal scraping the ground.

"That's a gate being opened," Beckett asked. "Do you think they're in the mansion?"

"They wouldn't use the same one as before," Gates said. "Must be another one somewhere. We need Sam give us the lowdown."

Beckett nodded in agreement. In the meantime, they have to wait.

* * *

"Great digs," Sam commented. "Of course, for someone in the business..."

She looked at the man who took her. He smirked and continued up the driveway. They were in a modest mansion in Beechhurst. When they reached the front door, the man went out first and grabbed Sam by the arm.

"Ow! I told you I come in peace so no need to drag me out," she said.

The man just continued to smirk and told her, "Arms out, feet apart."

"What for?"

"Wires." He surely is a man with few words.

Sam did as she was told, adding, "Pretty sure you won't see any."

The man just continued to smirk and checked her body using a detector. When it didn't read anything, he led her inside the house. Once inside, a beautiful foyer leading to the second floor greeted them but the man led her to the east wing hall and told her to wait for his boss to call her into his office.

Sam surveyed and observed the happenings around, or what isn't happening. There were guards stationed in some rooms. She cannot hear anything so that means that the rooms must be soundproof. She and the man just sat there in silence. A few minutes later, the door to their left opened and they were called in.

The room was a large office, mostly empty except for a stack of books on the side. Sam surmised that the person who uses this room is intelligent so she needs to up the ante if ever. That person is standing at the back of the table and walked over to her, looked her in the eye, and said, "_Minsan na akong naloko. Mapagkakatiwalaan ba kita?_"**1**

* * *

Back at the precinct bullpen, Esposito was close to banging his head on his desk. He was still checking the background of their vic and all the results are turning out to be not good.

"You okay, Javi?" Beckett asked. "You seem like you need some time out."

"Explain to me why he is dead and I will be fine," he said, sarcastically. "He's clean. Really clean. Everyone I talked to said he's the best adviser and the best friend. Except he's dead. Something's not adding up."

"There might be another reason," Beckett replied and she walked over to her desk.

"Yeah, like what?" Espo asked. "Sam?"

Beckett just shrugged, "I don't know. You and Ryan need to find out why he was killed."

"You're hiding something from us. You, Castle, and Gates."

"I'm not."

"Then tell me why Fowler was here a couple of days ago and why Bracken was hugging Sam."

"Espo, that's not..." Beckett stopped mid sentence, alarmed at something only she saw or heard. "What the..."

"Beckett? Are you alright?" Espo asked.

"Uh, Espo, I'll talk to you later," she said, going over to Gates's office. "I need to talk to Gates. Where's Castle?"

"Here," he said. He was in the break room on a call to Alexis to see how her project was going. He seemed to notice what Beckett just did a few minutes ago.

* * *

Gates has worry written all over her face. It seemed like this operation is going bust again.

The shuriken devices that Sam had given them were in their hands and they were listening closely via their earpieces. They were nervous that Sam won't pull this off.

"This was what Fowler was talking about," Castle said. "Remember that he said there were other people, Spanish-looking but different. Maybe there's a mix of Spanish in these people that's why he said they still look like Spanish."

"That's right," Gates agreed. "But this is the first time I've heard this language."

Kate nodded, "Yeah, me too. Castle?" She looked at him.

Castle's brow is furrowed, thinking. "I think I may have heard this language before but I don't remember what it is. There was a telethon some months ago about a really huge hurricane overseas and there were people who were speaking their native language. I am not sure if this is it because it's just in the background."

They went back to listening.

* * *

Sam looked at the man who spoke, without surprise, without any emotion showing on her face. She smiled at him, knowingly.

"_Hindi ako manloloko. Kaya ko kung ano man ang gusto mong ipagawa sa akin,_" **2** she replied, her accent flawless.

The man smiled back at her, "_Buti naman. Sa mundo ngayon, hindi mo alam kung sino ang totoo o kung sino ang hindi._" **3**

He switched to English and extended his hand to her. "I'm Efren Garcia. This is my assistant, Fernando Jones." He pointed at the man who spoke little. "We both have ties to our beloved country but Jones here doesn't speak the language. I, on the other hand, was born and bred. I only immigrated here three years ago."

"Your English," Sam pointed out, shaking his hand, smiling. "The accent is already like an American."

"Thank you," Garcia said. "And you? I don't know much about your background except for your exceptional job credentials."

"Born and bred here," Sam replied. "My mother was born there. My father is American but I prefer using my mother's maiden name."

Garcia walked over to the desk, "You're a professional yet a freelancer. Why is that?"

"I like options," Sam replied. "And I don't like to be tied."

"Is that why you're not married?" Garcia said, obviously hitting on her.

Sam knew so she played along. "Why? Do you have a person in mind?"

Garcia just smiled, "No one in particular. Anyway, our boss wanted me to ask you to stay and he will give you this much." He handed her a piece of stationery.

San turned the paper over: $60 000.

"That is per week," Garcia explained.

"Per week," Sam repeated. "Hm."

"Hm, what?"

"See, this is why I like being a freelancer," Sam began. "I can earn the same amount by killing, say, someone in a corporate company that you want for yourself or a rival elected government official so that you can take over his position."

She tore the paper and continued, "Unless your boss really wants a clean job, then you need to reconsider."

Jones and Garcia looked at each other. This girl knows her way and it's clear to them that she always gets her way. Garcia walked back to the desk and sat down.

"Alright," he said. "Until then, I'll let Jones get you settled."

* * *

"Tagalog," Gates said. "The Filipino language."

They all breathed a sigh of relief when they heard Sam answer Mr Garcia. It was Castle who pointed out what the language is. They were all glad that Sam can speak and understand the language.

"I really am glad that she knows her culture," Castle said.

"Don't underestimate her, Castle," Beckett said. "Just because she's the female you doesn't mean that she didn't become curious about her background." She said this jokingly. "Anyway, she's brilliant. I'm pretty sure that even though she was born here, she researched everything about her mother's background and was intent on learning everything about the Filipino culture."

Gates was pacing back and forth whilst Kate and Rick were discussing about how Sam was the female Castle. Beckett soon noticed this and she motioned for Castle to stop.

"Sir," she said. "Is something wrong?"

"Not really," the Captain replied. "Well, I haven't heard anyone from the Philippines being in the drug cartel families or in the business. They're hospitable and friendly. The country is described as one of the happiest nations even if there are crises. There is something more going on here."

Beckett and Castle looked at each other.

"Have you...?" Castle asked, pointing at Beckett. She shook her head.

They were all thinking what is possibly the reason how this Mr Garcia is involved when Ryan knocked and poked his head inside the Captain's office.

"Uh, Sir," he said, tentatively. "The Senator wants to talk to you."

* * *

The Senator was alone and sat on the couch in the waiting room, worry all over his face. When he saw Gates, Beckett, and Castle he stood up and said, "Where is my daughter? Is she okay?"

"Senator," Gates motioned for him to sit down. "She's fine. We hear everything she says and everything she does. She's a strong woman. You got to be proud of her, even if this is the wrong situation."

Bracken hid his face in his hands. He was frustrated that he cannot do anything. Inward, he was blaming himself for what had happened to Sam. And to Emilio. The guy had been his best friend ever since college and now he's dead and he knew why.

"Emil," he said. "He's dead because he was holding a secret for me."

This surprised both Beckett and Castle because it is not how they know him. It surprised Gates in a different way so she pressed on, "What secret?"

"Diana. Or Sam," Bracken replied, looking up. "When I first ran for office she was already gone, out to see the world." Of course, it was a lie. "I told Emil to keep my daughter out of my political life so we didn't tell everyone about her. Sheila agreed to it. Only those who are close to us knew. And now, Emil is dead because of that."

"We're not sure that is entirely the reason, Senator," Gates said, calmly. Her mind is still reeling from the information Bracken just told her even though she knew because of Sam's outburst. "It may be but no one is still after your daughter. As far as we know."

"But she's out there doing whatever they want to do," Bracken said. "And I can't do anything because she is...stubborn."

"We will make sure that she is alright," the Captain said. "Our communication lines are open."

She turned to out the waiting room. "She's a brilliant, fantastic, and talented young woman, Senator. She's strong-willed. Yes, stubborn but she knows what she's doing. She'll be fine."

She opened the door and went back to her office so that Castle and Beckett were the only people left with Bracken. He looked at them morosely.

"You're still here to tell me that this is karma," he said.

"No," Beckett said. "Captain Gates is right. Sam...Diana is brilliant, knows what she wants."

She sat down opposite the Senator.

"You know what she told me, before she took this job," the detective said, calm but strong. "She became who she is today because of what you did. She wanted to prove to you that you whatever you did was wrong. She wanted you to see what she saw, what you've become through her eyes. She went against her principles, why she ran away, just to do that. You know why?"

She looked at him in the eye.

"Because she loves you."

Bracken stared at Kate, torn. He isn't crying but he's hurting inside. He loves her more than anything in the world, his precious princess, his and Clara's princess, and now, she's putting herself in harm's way because of everything that he had done.

"Next time you see her," Beckett continued. "Tell her everything."

She stood up and went out the door, Castle at her heels.

* * *

At the loft that night, Beckett noticed that something was bothering her fiancé. She didn't press on but he kept tossing and turning in bed.

"Hey," she said, clicking on the lamp on the bedside table. "What's the matter?"

"Bracken," he said. "The way he looked. He's hurt."

"I know," Beckett said. "It feels good to let it out but seeing him in that state..."

"It's not easy," Castle said. "You want to take him down but his daughter is a friend and is out there and we don't know if she's okay or not."

"Yeah," she said. "She shut off her com. Must be sleeping."

"You're doubting," Castle said.

Kate looked at him. Castle always can see right through her, from the first day they met.

"I'm also worried about her," she said. She put her head on Castle's chest and he put his arms around her.

"Rick," she said. "Bracken. Why?"

Castle kissed the top of her head. "I've told you before. A father will do anything for his daughter. And a father mourns once his daughter is out of his sight."

* * *

_**TRANSLATIONS:**_

_**1 I was already fooled once. Can I trust you?**_

_**2 I do not double-cross. I can do whatever you want me to do.**_

_**3 Good. In this time, you do not know who is a friend or who is not. (Literal: In this world, you do not know who is true or who is not)**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I purposely left out what happened to Sam in the previous chapter after she was led out of the large room. I put it here instead because I want to have a little fun and light conversation with her and Caskett. Also, I want to show how professional an assassin Sam is and how really different she is from Beckett.**_

_**I haven't posted about the best part about writing the previous chapter. It was Beckett telling Bracken what Sam had told her.**_

_**If anyone is wondering, I'm picturing Sam as slightly older than Beckett but younger than Castle.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

"Run you clever boy and remember," said a disembodied voice and it woke up Castle. He looked to see if Kate was playing a trick on him but she was still sleeping.

"I don't like the colour of my kidneys," it said again. When Castle hadn't said anything, the voice got frustrated and said, "Ruggedly handsome man, in the name of peace and sanity, wake up!"

Then he remembered that he placed the shuriken device that Sam loaned them on his bedside table and realised that the voice he heard was Sam whispering to her own device.

"Sam!" Castle exclaimed. "I'm sorry."

Kate woke up and turned around wondering what excited Castle. He motioned that Sam was on the other line and she got her own shuriken and putting the earpiece on.

"Hey sleepyheads," Sam whispered. "Did I frighten you into waking up? And Rick, did you leave Kate exhausted after a great...font?"

Suppressed but uncontrollable laughter can be heard on the other end of the device.

"Haha, very funny, little one," Castle said. "For the record, she's in her pyjamas."

Kate glared at him and gave him the look. Castle smirked at her and sat up. "How are you and why did you shut off your com?"

"It is undetectable but in a very quiet environment there can still be noises heard, you know," Sam said. "The slightest possible static noise. This is a busy place during the day but so quiet during the night. Hate it. I'm alright though."

A scuffling is heard.

"It's great you're okay," Kate said, also sitting up. "Where are you?"

"Some awesome mansion in Beechhurst," came the reply. "Really cool. The foyer alone is enchanting. The halls, they're like gold. I feel like I'm in a Disney movie!"

"Does she know she's gushing?" Rick asked.

Kate smiled at him.

"Sorry," Sam said. "I know I can afford something like this but I need a really great interior decorator to make it look like heaven."

Another scuffling sound is heard and the sound of something metallic jingling.

"Sam," Kate began. "What are you doing?"

"Oh sorry," her friend said. "I'm actually in the bathroom, which by the way is as big as my apartment, dressing up."

Castle's brows went up, possibly imagining the scene. He noticed Kate glaring at him again and he went for cover.

"You shouldn't have said that because it's too much for Castle," Beckett told Sam.

"Really? Ow!" Sam said. "Hit my head on the open window."

"Window?" Kate asked. "What are you doing with a window?"

"Talking to you," Sam replied. "I opened the window so that the breeze will come in. I thought that sounds will be carried away so I contacted you without being heard."

"Fast thinking," Castle said.

"Thanks," Sam said. "Anyway, they're Filipinos. I don't know the connection yet but Garcia, I assume you heard, seems powerful enough to rise above the ranks here."

"Is he prominent?" Kate asked.

"Not that I know of," replied her friend. "I read the news but his name hasn't come up in any article. There are drug dens in the Philippines but mostly run by Chinese. Can you run a background check on him to see how he came here? He said he's an immigrant so he may have come here illegally."

There was a clicking of shoes.

"You're wearing stilettos?" Castle said, amused.

"No," she replied. "The heels on my Louboutins are just noisy on the marble floor."

More noises can be heard at Sam's end. She's clearly finishing dressing up. Both Beckett and Castle were amused by this. Here is Sam, doesn't know the danger she's in, gushing about how big the place she stayed in.

"I don't know if he stays here though. This house might just be his office. Anyway," their friend said. "It's 7.00 so I should go back to the room. In a few paces! Yup! Bathroom inside the room!"

She practically sang the last line.

"My com will be on all the time so you'll know what is happening. I think it's also time for Ryan and Espo to know this. They might help especially Kevin. He can ask people in Narcotics to see if there are any Filipinos involved in some of the raids they had."

"Are you sure?" Kate asked.

"Positive."

"Okay," Kate said. "You know where we'll be."

"Thanks," Sam replied. They heard a something open, possibly a small door, like in a closet. "Oh my god!"

"What?" both Castle and Beckett said, worried.

"An Alberta Ferretti jacket! In TARDIS blue!"

* * *

When they got into the precinct, nothing much has changed in the murder board. There were still no leads as to why their vic was murdered, aside from the information that both Sam and Bracken shared with them. When they reached Beckett's desk, she saw both Ryan and Esposito coming out of the break room and beckoned them to her.

"Hey guys," she began. "I need to tell you something."

* * *

"Seriously?" Espo asked. "That waif of a girl is an assassin?"

They were all huddled around the dining table at the break room.

"Yes," Beckett answered. "And don't call her that. She's a gymnast, too, remember."

"How did she become one?" Ryan said. "I thought she only practiced martial arts and being a contortionist."

"Rhythmic gymnast," Castle corrected, automatically.

"What's the difference, man?" Espo asked, a semi-annoyed expression on his face.

Castle was about to explain the difference when Beckett cut in their conversation.

"Whatever she is or whatever she practices," she said. "She wants you both on the loop. Ryan."

She looked at Kevin.

"Can you ask your buddies in Narcotics to see if the name Efren Garcia pops or if there are any Filipinos, tourists or immigrants, connected to Vulcan Simmons and his group?"

"Sure thing," Kevin replied.

"And Espo," Beckett said, turning to Javi." Check his profile with the FBI. If he was in something shady before or got caught, he will have a record."

"You got it," Espo said. He stood up and left the break room.

"Beckett," Ryan said. "Are you sure that Sam's going to be alright in there? I mean, what happened before..."

"I'm not sure," she answered. "We've tried to stop her, reasoned with her, but no luck. She's trying to prove to Br..."

Castle looked at her. She had almost said Bracken.

Before going to the precinct, Castle and Beckett had discussed whether or not they will tell Ryan and Esposito that Sam was Bracken's daughter. They arrived at a decision that they wouldn't, not yet. They decided that they will have to focus on the case first before telling them. The right time will come for them to know who she really is.

"Beckett?" Ryan asked.

"Nothing," she answered, rubbing her forehead. "She's just trying to prove something. Finding herself."

"Oh," Ryan said. "I'll go ask my friends."

And with that, he also stood up and left the room.

Left alone in the room, Castle moved his chair closer to his fiancée's and comforted her.

* * *

A knock came at 8.00 and Jones opened the door.

"Garcia wants to see you," he told Sam, who was sitting at the table, doodling on the stationery that was provided.

"I thought I was going to rot in here," she said, getting up and putting the jacket on.

As they walked along the hallway, Sam noted the lack of decorations. Just like an abandoned highway, a golden abandoned hallway. It wasn't really made of gold but something in them makes them sparkle and Sam came to the idea that the paint must have glitters on it.

They came down the foyer and Jones brought her to the east wing room again, to Garcia's office.

"Good morning, my dear Sam," he greeted her. "Coffee or tea?"

"A real good breakfast is what I want," she said. "Which I'm pretty sure Jones can get me."

Jones grunted.

"You heard her," Garcia said. "Prepare breakfast for her and send it to her room."

Jones scowled and left the room.

"That jacket looks great on you," the man said.

"Thank you," Sam said, riding on the flirting that Garcia was doing. "I really like it. Alberta Ferretti."

"Good," he replied. He sat on his chair. "I had a talk with my boss. He said that you're quite a hellcat to tell us that what we're offering is not enough."

Sam smiled mysteriously, "I told you. Professional."

"Yes and I told him that," Garcia continued. "So he agreed on giving you what you're worth, in one condition."

She knew that this was coming.

"Alright," she said, after a few seconds. "I will agree to that arrangement but since I'm also a negotiator, I will also only agree in one condition."

"You really are a hellcat," Garcia said, leaning forward. "What's your condition?"

"I want to meet him."

Garcia smiled at her knowingly, leaned back to his chair, and said, "I can't guarantee that it will be granted."

"Then I can't guarantee that I'll do my best," came the adamant reply. "I want to know who I'm dealing with. It's my trust system and if I want to accept future jobs."

Garcia stared, trying to read the woman in front of him. She has determination that if you cross her, she will just pull out a gun and take the life out of you right then and there.

"Alright. I will talk to him. Meanwhile," he said. "He wants you to take this job."

He handed her a picture.

"This will be your 'audition'," he said. "That will be his condition. This is just the beginning. When you finish with this, more will be given to you."

Sam looked at it. It was a photo of a man in a suit, probably a lawyer. She looked up at Garcia and said, "Alright."

Jones then came back and announced that breakfast had been delivered to her room.

* * *

"So it was just like the previous operation," Gates said. Her, Castle, and Beckett were gathered in the Captain's office, talking to Sam with the shuriken devices, their earpieces in place.

"Possible," said the person on the other end. "I'm not sure yet. I saw a van this morning with boxes delivered."

"Boxes?" Beckett said.

"Yeah. There was a black van and some thugs brought out boxes, unlabeled, and another group of thugs brought it to the house."

"So it might still be drugs," Gates asked.

"Uh huh," Sam replied. "But I don't know where they brought the boxes because when I went to Garcia's office, they weren't there."

A muffled sound can be heard then some metal on the floor.

"Ms Rodriguez," Gates began. "Is everything alright?"

"Pardon," Sam said. "I dropped my fork on the bathroom floor."

"You're in the bathroom again, aren't you?" Castle said, a wild grin on his face. But it immediately vanished when he noticed the glares Beckett and Gates were giving him.

"Well," Sam said. "This is the only place I can talk to you without being heard and without being suspicious. Unless Jones comes barging in but that man without words even has courtesy to knock so I'll be safe. As long as I keep it brief."

A scuffling sound indicated that Sam was walking. Then the water turned on and then more scuffling.

"Sorry," she said. "Had to wash the fork. Am having breakfast."

It was pretty amusing to Castle, Beckett, and Gates that Sam still had a stomach to eat breakfast and be light on the situation that for a few minutes only the clanking of utensils can be heard on her end.

"Ahem," Gates cleared her throat. "Ms Rodriguez. We need to know about your assignment."

"Ugh, sorry again," Sam said. "Yes, the assignment. A man, possibly a lawyer. No name was given but he has black hair, Caucasian, really good looks. No office address provided either but I guess it will be given to me later. He looks like a cross between those frequent Tonys hosts."

"Did you ask Garcia who he is?" Beckett enquired.

"No," Sam said. "Assassin remembered. No questions asked. They give you job, you do it. That's how it works. Only for long-term assignments will you be given details."

"Okay," was the only thing Beckett could say. "Just keep us on the loop. I already asked Ryan and Espo to do background checks on Garcia."

"Good," Sam said. "In the meantime, it's getting late. Jones might come any minute from now. Keep your devices near you."

* * *

"Bayani Ernesto," Ryan announced. "AKA Efren Garcia. Found him in an old DUI case. On his first month here."

"Really? He had violated the law that fast?" Beckett asked.

"Uh huh," Kevin said. "He worked as a regular driver for his brother, who petitioned him. He flattened his brother's..."

He looked at the record and continued, "Bumblebee."

"Bumblebee?" Beckett asked, frowning.

"That's what he called his brother's car," Ryan answered. "A yellow Chevrolet Camaro with black stripes on the hood."

He handed Beckett the file.

"Transformers," she said, surprising Ryan. The silence he gave made Beckett look up. "Castle and I watched it on a movie night."

"Sure," he said. "Anyway, he ran away from his brother's house in Washington and came to New York a year and a half ago. However, I made no connection to Simmons but I assume that they came to know each other hence he changed his name."

"So this is about drugs," she said.

"Probably," Ryan said. "But I don't know why they need an assassin now."

"Yo, Beckett!" Esposito called out. "Found Sam's guy."

He handed her another file, this one slightly thicker than the other.

"He changed his name because he became involved with powerful people," Espo said.

"You mean..." Beckett began.

"Politicians, socialites, company owners, you name it."

"Is there a connection with our victim?"

"Oh yes," Espo said. "There was a benefit dinner a year and a half ago and somehow he wheedled his way in."

"Is there a possibility that Bracken and our vic were there?" Beckett asked, a wild grin on her face.

"You're right about that," Javi said. "They were there alright. And I managed to talk to some of Sanchez's close friends and asked them if they were in that concert. Those who were said that Bracken and Sanchez were talking all night."

"So, Garcia might have been suspicious as to what they were talking about," Ryan offered. "That gave him the chance to move towards where they were and eavesdrop."

"They might have talked about something that Bracken doesn't want the public to know and Garcia overheard," Espo said.

Fear gripped Beckett's face. "We need to warn Sam."

"Why?" Espo asked.

"She's Bracken's daughter."

* * *

Jones called for Sam a few minutes after she contacted the precinct. He shoved her into a different car, a black Toyota Camry, and went on their way. After half an hour or so, they arrive at a small Victorian in Whitestone.

"Use this," Jones said, giving her a Glock with a silencer.

"No thanks," she said. "I have my own."

"The boss wants you to use this."

"And if he wants a clean job, you will let me use my own."

Jones looked at her from head to toe and chuckled.

"I don't see any guns."

"I don't like guns," Sam replied. "I prefer blades."

Jones looked at her incredulously and said, "Have it your way."

Sam got out of the car and went on her way. She hid in the bushes and surveyed the surroundings. No toys or other playthings so that meant no kids, possibly single. She went to the back door; it's locked. She went around the house to see if there are unlocked windows, in vain. But she saw that the window of the back room upstairs were open so she took her chances. She went up the trellis, litheness and agility taking control of her. When she reached the top, she did a little somersault to get her to the roof and into the window. She looked back to check if anyone saw her. She was wearing her ninja outfit so no one can see her face and no prints will be left. She scanned the room and heard water running. She quickly and noiselessly went to the source of the running water and saw that the target was taking a shower, to go to work. She got her katanas out of her vest and slowly walked over to him. She slowly pushed the buttons at the hilts.

* * *

The man heard a noise but attributed it to the wind. He had left his window open as it was a bit humid. He hummed a song that he heard on the radio last night. He was about to get his towel when the shower curtain opened and something metallic flashed. He dropped to the shower floor.

He was dead.

* * *

**_Sorry I really have to do it. As you figured it out now, Sam is hardcore, doing this in broad daylight._**

**_The quotes from the first scene are from _Doctor Who_, paraphrasing Amy Pond's nickname for her Doctor - Raggedy Man. I figured that since Castle loves sci-fi and Sam is the female version of him, they bonded over the show._**

**_For the record, I also love the show and my Doctor is Ten. The Third Doctor, who I fondly call my Ninja Doctor, as to those who watch it know, holds a special place in my heart. I haven't gotten to Tom Baker's Fourth yet but I will get there. When I accept the fact that my Ninja will regenerate, much like I accepted that Ten regenerated to Eleven, and Eleven just regenerated to Twelve. :)_**


	8. Chapter 8

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE: I am really sorry for the ending of the previous chapter. It was a bit harsh but I really have to do it. And I have to do it again._**

**_In the previous chapter, I had great fun writing the conversation between Beckett, Castle, and Sam and the one with Captain Gates. Another part I like in writing was the reference to Transformers. My sister and I love the movies and Bumblebee. Also because, all were the lightest parts of the chapter, in spite of Sam being inside that mansion and asked to kill. Beginning this chapter, everything is dark._**

**_Anyway, good ol' Senator Bracken is back. Beckett reels in Ryan and Esposito to the secret and someone's back, too!_**

* * *

Sam went back to the car, mask off now, and got in.

"It's finished," she told Jones.

Jones looked at her like she was lying. "Show me."

She took out a bloodied towel that she tucked in under her shirt. "Will this suffice?"

The man studied it carefully. Then he declared, "No. I need to see the body."

Sam looked at him with defiant eyes. "I killed him. This is his blood."

"The body," Jones said.

Sam took in a few minutes to answer, "Fine. If you have the stomach to see fourths."

Jones wondered what she meant by that. They got out of the car and into the house.

"Wait here," Sam said. "It's locked."

Sam went up the trellis again and after a few minutes unlocked the back entrance to the house.

"He's in the bathroom upstairs," she said. "Follow the running water."

Jones went up the stairs, two at a time. She heard a grunt as Jones came back down.

"So," she said. "Did I pass?"

She cannot make out Jones's reaction. It was either disgust or amusement to see how she killed the man. When he finally got his bearings, he said, "That's just the first round."

"Seriously?" Sam asked.

"Seriously," he answered, snickering. "Let's go back to the car and I'll give you the second round en route."

* * *

Half an hour later, they arrived at a one-storey house. The target is a woman in her 30s, another lawyer judging from the suit she was wearing in the photo Jones gave her.

The ninja found an open door in the garage leading to the kitchen. She found the job in her study near the living room.

The ninja moved in the shadows of the house, making no noise. When she reached the entrance to the study, she pulled out one her sais and expertly threw it at her target, straight through her heart.

Then she went in the study to retrieve her weapon and went out of the house.

* * *

The third target was another woman, who worked at Wall Street. She was getting ready for work when the team reached her. It was very convenient that she was getting in her car, when another sai out of nowhere pierced the back of her head. She dropped dead immediately.

The ninja retrieved her weapon quietly.

* * *

In the precinct, Detective Beckett heard it all. So did Castle and Captain Gates.

* * *

"That's three," Sam said. They were in the car and they were moving back to the Queens area.

"Just one more," Jones grunted. He gave her another picture. This time Sam balked.

"It's a kid," she said. "What's a college kid to do with all of this?"

"Just do your what you came here to do. I thought you were a professional."

Sam looked at him in disgust. It was in times like this that she hated what she does.

The Camry stopped in front of a modest house. Sam got out of the car, put her mask back on, and immediately searched for her target. She saw him huddled in a laptop in his room, probably writing a paper for school. As usual, she quietly entered the house and went to him. This time a couple of expertly thrown shuriken wheezed past.

* * *

Kate was making coffee in the break room when Castle entered. He noticed that her hands were shaking and that she can barely return the pot in the coffee maker.

"Here," he said. "Let me take this."

He took the coffee pot from her hands and put it back. He motioned for her to sit down, putting his hands on her shoulders. She was trembling.

"Castle," she whispered.

"I know," he said, bringing her coffee to her. "I hope this is decaf."

She smiled at him. It was times like this that Castle made her smile with his little jokes, even when she knew that he was also scared. She took a sip of her coffee. When she put it down, there were tears at the corners of her eyes.

"There, there," Castle said, pulling a chair beside hers and pulling her into a warm hug.

"Castle, she killed," Beckett said. "I didn't know that she will take it. I thought that she will only take the bait."

"She's an assassin, Kate," Castle said. "That's who she is. It's just unfortunate that we heard it. Or she wants us to hear it."

"There was a college kid, Castle," she said. "She killed a college kid."

Castle hugged her tighter. Then he whispered to Kate, "She's not you."

Castle was still comforting Kate when Gates entered the break room. He immediately took his hands off Beckett but Gates' look told him it was okay. She had heard it, too, anyway. She made her coffee and went back to her office.

"What am I going to do, Rick?" Beckett asked. "I'm an NYPD officer and my friend is out there murdering people."

Castle looked at her helplessly. He knew that Kate should have Sam arrested for her murders, which was the right thing to do. But he also have conflicting feelings for their friend.

"Surprisingly, I don't have an answer."

* * *

Back at the bullpen, Ryan and Esposito were still searching for clues on how Sam became Bracken's daughter. Nothing came up and neither Beckett nor Castle hasn't told them how. So when they saw them coming out of the break room, they cornered them and peppered them with questions.

"Not now, Javi," Castle said.

"Come on, bro," Espo said. "How? After all this time, she was a daughter of the good ol' Senator."

"Javi," Ryan whispered to his friend. "Maybe we should ask some other time."

"Way to kill the spirit, Kev."

"No," Ryan said, pointing at Beckett.

She was clearly in distress.

"Hey, Beckett," Espo said. "Something the matter?"

Beckett looked up at him and said, "Sam just killed four people, including a college kid."

"What?" both Esposito and Ryan exclaimed.

"She was in an undercover mission to find out if Vulcan Simmons and his drug ring were connected to the death of our vic."

Javier and Kevin looked at each other. They knew what happened to Beckett some months before and this must be just history repeating itself, except it wasn't Beckett in the front line.

"Emilio Sanchez was a trusted confidante and friend of Bracken. He and their close friends knew about Sam. Bracken chose to keep her a secret when he started in politics," Beckett said. "By that time, Sam was gone and was travelling the world."

"She knew of what her father had done," Castle picked up. "The first time she ran away was when he started to ask for ransom from the dirty cops."

"Montgomery and company," Espo remarked.

Castle nodded. "Yes. When Sam found out, she took what little trust fund money her father had set up for her and went to London. She came back at the request of Bracken some years and later. But seeing Bracken talk to Dick Coonan was the last straw. She ran away again and hadn't looked back. Until now."

"Sam became an assassin," Beckett added. "She trained in Japan as a ninja and took jobs from all over the world. She did that to let Bracken see what she saw in him. She took this undercover mission to make him see."

They looked at each other in silence, digesting all the information that had been passed. It was Espo who broke the silence.

"So it all boils down to Sam," he said.

"We think so," Castle said. "But we're still not sure if Sanchez's killer managed to get the information on her out of him."

Just then, Gates called out to them and asked them to be in her office.

* * *

They were back in the mansion by noon. Garcia met them at the door.

"How was it?" he asked, a sickening sweet smile on his face.

"It is done," Sam answered. "When am I going to meet him?"

"Walk with me," Garcia said.

They walked through the entrance of the mansion and to the east wing hallway, where Garcia's office was located.

"He agreed on meeting you," he said. "Tonight. He asked me if you would like to have some dinner with him."

"That's fine with me," Sam answered. "At least have the decency to offer a girl dinner."

Garcia chuckled. "Well then. You had a fun morning. Settle down and rest. You've got a dinner to look forward to."

* * *

The team at the 12th Precinct were sitting in Gates' office, Ryan and Espo finally invited to the party. Gates was at a loss for words.

"I know that she is an assassin," she began. "But I cannot imagine her actions that had just occurred a while ago."

Beckett was staring at the Captain's name plate, herself at a loss for words, her thoughts in disarray.

"Sir," she began. "What are we going to do?"

Gates looked at her. "As of now, I cannot think of anything else except for the need to clear my mind of what I just heard. This is not an acceptable behaviour."

Just then a voice was heard on Gates' table.

"You guys talking about me?"

It was Sam. She sounded happy.

"Sam," Beckett said, taking her device out of her blazer pocket.

Ryan and Espo exchanged looks and looked at Castle, who also took out his own shuriken. He mouthed, "Coms." to the two detectives.

"Hey, g-great to hear from you again," Kate stammered. "What's happening?"

Sam became didn't answer her for sometime.

"Sam?"

"You heard," Sam whispered.

"Um, Sam," Beckett started.

"Please," Sam said, quietly. "Don't judge me. I just had to do what I had to do."

"Killing innocent people?" Gates asked, sternly but not angrily.

"I just..." Sam stammered. When she heard Gates' reply, it was the worst feeling. She wouldn't have mind if the Captain shouted at her. But she didn't, which was what made it worst.

"Sammy," Castle said. "Right now, just tell us what is happening. I heard the word dinner."

"Yeah, yeah," the girl at the other end said. "I managed to secure a meeting with their leader and he offered me dinner. Tonight."

"Do you know if it's who we think it is?" Castle asked.

"Not yet," Sam replied. "I've got a feeling though."

"Sam," Kate said. "I know what happened earlier was just a part of your job and I don't blame you for it. It just...shocked us."

"I know," her friend said. "I should've shut off the coms. You were not meant to hear what you've heard."

A sigh from Sam and a little sniffle.

"A little surprise may come to you," she said. "I need to go."

"Just keep us in the loop," Beckett requested.

"Of course," Sam said. "Always."

Then static was heard.

* * *

In the mansion, in her room, Sam buried her face on the pillows. She had hurt her friends and it was obvious from their tones.

She promised herself that this will be the last time she'll take on a job. She never meant to hurt her friends. She just want her father to change.

* * *

"He needs to know," Castle said. They were back in bullpen after that meeting with Gates.

"That her daughter killed innocent people," Kate countered. "Yes because that will just make him locate that mansion and go there himself and probably put a leash around her neck and drag her out of there. No. Bracken doesn't need to know."

"Beckett," Espo said. "He really does."

Kate looked at her boys. All of their faces show that whatever Sam had done, Bracken has to know. She's his daughter, whether he was a good father or not.

Kate sighed and sat on her chair. "I don't know what do anymore."

"We have this," Ryan said. "We'll go to Bracken's and tell him."

Beckett looked at him. Then she smiled at him gratefully.

"Alright," she said. "Just take it lightly."

* * *

At the Brackens' sprawling mansion, Sheila took out refreshments for Detectives Ryan and Esposito and her husband at the parlour and joined them after serving.

"Bill," she began. "Are you sure you don't want to call on your security to get Sam out of there?"

Bracken looked at his wife forlornly. Even he knows that if he does that, his daughter's life will be in more danger than it is now.

"Mrs Bracken, Senator," Espo said. "It's not just about her safety."

"Detective Beckett heard it through the com that your daughter lent them," Ryan said. "She had killed four innocent people, including a college kid."

"Oh my god, Bill," Sheila exclaimed.

"This is all my fault," Bracken said. "She wouldn't have done this if..." He trailed off.

"Senator," Ryan said. "For now, your daughter has taken an offer to meet with the leader of this group. We don't know who he is yet but we will soon as your daughter makes contact."

Bracken looked at him, grief shadowing his face.

"Just make sure she is safe and that she gets out of there alive."

* * *

Jones knocked on her door a little before 6 that evening. Sam was still hiding under the covers, exhausted from crying and thinking about the team at the precinct.

"What do you need?" she asked.

"Efren wants you to have this," Jones answered.

"Whatever it is, leave it there," she said.

Jones grunted a reply and shut the door. Sam pulled off the covers and saw that an evening dress was left for her. She have to give it Garcia for having taste. It was another Alberta Ferretti dress. It was also loose and modest enough to conceal her weapons.

She got up the bed and went on to shower. Then she put on the dress, which is a perfect fit, and put on some powder which was left in bathroom. She waited for Jones to get her. When he did, he brought her to Garcia's office first.

"Looking very beautiful, Ms Rodriguez," Garcia said. "I say you dress up nicely."

"Thank you," Sam said, sweetly, knowing Garcia's ploy. "Well then, shall we? Bring me to your leader."

Garcia offered his arm to her and she took it. They walked a few paces to the office's right hallway and turned left. There was another door at the end and Sam could see a staircase going up. Garcia led her there.

"Ladies first," he said, gesturing with her hand.

She went up the stairs, Garcia on her heels. There was a brass door at the top with a phoenix head for knocker. Garcia knocked on it three times. A deep, sleek voice was heard.

"Come on in."

Garcia opened the door and gestured for Sam to go in. She stopped at the threshold, waiting for her host to make the first move. He was in the shadows and when he came into the light, she saw who he was.

"Ah, I've heard a lot from you, Ms Rodriguez. Sit and be my guest."

The voice belonged to Vulcan Simmons.

* * *

_**Predictable, I know. It's the only way that he really can be introduced with mystery. I don't want him being out in the open since after ITBOTB, I believe the Feds and the NYPD Narcotics division has him under surveillance.**_

_**I also have to use "Always" for Sam. It shows how much she loves her friends and how much she regretted that they had heard everything she did.**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the penultimate chapter. I had only planned on it being 10 chapters as I have a second story for this in mind. If this was in the Castle universe itself, this is the first episode of a two-parter.**_

_**I'm already in the thought process of the second story.**_

* * *

Ryan and Esposito went back to the precinct and immediately looked for Beckett. When they found her, they told her of the encounter with Bracken.

"He's devastated," Espo said. "He clearly didn't want Sam to be there."

"Not only is he devastated," Ryan added. "I don't think he knows whoever is running that operation. If he does, his only concern is for Sam. Diana."

Beckett rubbed her forehead with her hand. Her actions were not of frustration but of worry. Sam had shut off her com and hadn't turned it back on. It's now a little after 6 and her dinner with whoever runs the mansion was supposed to be happening now.

"Beckett?" Ryan asked.

"Sorry," she replied. "I was just thinking about Sam. What she's doing now. So, what was his reaction when you told him about what she did?"

"Nothing much," Ryan said. "Beckett, he's hurting. He showed regret. True regret."

Kate looked at Ryan and then at Esposito.

"Kate," Espo said. "He's breaking. His daughter is out there doing what he did and he can't do anything."

"I know," she replied. "A father will do anything for his daughter and will mourn when she's out of sight. Castle's taught me that."

A crackle was heard in Beckett's shuriken com.

* * *

"Mr Vulcan Simmons," Sam said, extending her right hand. "I should've have known it was you. Your reputation precedes you."

"I'm glad I'm known to a professional," Simmons replied. "Please help yourself." He gestured for her to sit.

"Garcia."

He called out to his right-hand man.

"Wait outside. I'll call you when we're finished."

Garcia nodded and left the room.

Sam sat on the chair and looked around and noticed some of the boxes she saw delivered yesterday was in the corner.

"So," Simmons began. "How did you hear?"

"A little bird told me," Sam replied. "A friend of a friend."

"It's great that someone in my position is known in your circles," Simmons gloated. "By the way, may I ask...you call yourself an assassin yet to us, "lowly" people, we call you a contract killer. What is the difference?"

"Simple," Sam said. "A contract killer will kill anyone for money. Assassins kill for certain reasons, mostly political, government or private. We accept money if it's proffered."

Simmons smiled at the girl. He could see that she was just who she told she is. And she knew that he was a man of mystery. She herself was a mystery to him, to all of them. The day she called, Simmons asked his men to look her up but she didn't have any records.

"Good to know that," he said, his deep voice booming. He moved towards her and sat down in the table he set up for the two of them and poured themselves the best wine. "I heard from Garcia that you really did well in your audition."

"Yes," Sam said, picking up her glass. "And here I am, talking to you, which was what I had requested. Thank you for granting it. It's great to know who I am dealing with."

Simmons laughed. "My pleasure, as well. It's not everyday that I meet my associates."

He smirked at her.

Sam thought she'd hurl but she kept it civil. She didn't like this man especially his demeanor. But he got character. What she had in mind, he'd never expect.

* * *

As soon as she noticed that Sam's com was on again, Beckett and her team went to their Captain's office. They heard that she was talking to Vulcan Simmons and they all looked at her. She shook her head, knowing full well that they know what he did to her in the past. What mattered now is what information Sam can extract from him. But from what it sounds they were just getting introduced.

There was a knock on door a few moments later. It was LT and he said that a college kid was there to see Detective Beckett. She reluctantly left the room, Castle on her heels.

"Keep me posted, please," she called out to no one in particular.

"Don't worry, Detective," Gates said. "We will."

* * *

"The ninja just surprised me with the shurikens," the kid said. His name was Valeri Antonin Dmitriev. "It was just..." He motioned with his hands.

This was the surprise that Sam was talking about. When Beckett and Castle saw the kid, they thought he was someone who the other officers picked up loitering in a crime scene and that he just wanted to talk to Beckett because she was engaged to Castle. But when he started talking, they both realised that this was the kid Sam was supposed to kill.

"So this ninja," Beckett said, "What did he say?"

"She. I know it's a she the way she moved," Valeri said. "She said that I go look for you in the 12th and tell you that something is going on. She said that I go and tell them that there were three bodies in three separate locations. She said she killed them because that's what they want her to do."

He wrung his fingers. He was nervous.

"What else did she say?" Beckett prodded on.

"She asked if I had something that would look like blood, just in case her employer wanted to see if she killed me."

Castle and Beckett looked at each other.

"What did you tell her?" Castle asked.

"There's ketchup in the pantry. I didn't know what she did there after. Before she left, she told me that when I come here, don't leave until you guys tell me to."

Beckett looked at Valeri. "What do you do that they want you dead?"

"I don't know. I'm good at computers and that's it. I'm not a hacker even. My parents are middle class and my father immigrated from Russia."

Just then, Ryan knocked at the door and said, "There's something you got to hear."

* * *

"Ms Rodriguez," Simmons said. "I like my associates to have a clean job always and judging from what I heard, you really did."

He rang a bell. Garcia's head popped at the doorway. Simmons motioned that it was time to bring the courses and Garcia nodded and two attendants with food carts entered the room.

"I personally chose this for tonight. Rib-eye steak. I hope you like it."

"After a day like mine," Sam said. "I could probably eat an elephant."

Vulcan Simmons laughed. "I like your spunk."

After the attendants left, they ate in silence for a few moments.

"So," Simmons said. "My reputation precedes me."

"Yes," Sam smiled, fleetingly. "Your ring in Washington Heights back in the day. It was big."

She set down her glass.

"Also heard about the detective who re-investigated your case," she said. "You got back at her."

Vulcan smiled wickedly. "Yes. She kept telling me I killed her momma, thought I was part of the...conspiracy."

"Were you?"

"Let's put it like this," he said. "Her momma wanted us out of Washington Heights. Like exterminators."

Sam smiled, innocently. "So you were part of that?"

"Hm..." Vulcan said, mysteriously. "Let's leave it at that, shall we? After all, the detective in question still lives."

"I heard," she said. "Some guy wanted her alive."

At that, Simmons stood up and went to his desk. He got a folder, a file, out of the drawer and walked back to the table. He handed the file to Sam.

"He wanted her alive," he said.

Sam opened the folder and choked on her food. She took a swig of wine.

"Is everything alright, my dear?" Simmons asked.

"You want me to take him down?"

"Yes," came the answer. "He wanted Detective Beckett alive, saying that he owed her. What is it, I do not know. But it's not what we've talked about."

He also took a swig of wine and put down his glass. He noticed the apprehension in Sam's face.

"Something wrong with this job?"

Sam wanted to cry right then and there but she composed herself and told Simmons, "No. But I'm afraid I have to decline."

"I thought you were a professional assassin, Ms Rodriguez," Vulcan smiled. "You ask for a high price per job and yet with this, you decline. I can pay you more than what you asked for, for this job alone, if you take it."

"No. I..." she faltered. "I can't."

"Why, Ms Rodriguez?" Simmons laughed. "He is Lazarus."

"I thought you were."

"I just assumed it. But he's Lazarus," he said. "You haven't answered me. Why?"

"I think I'm done here," she said, standing up. "Thank you for the dinner and if you excuse me, I want to go back to my room."

When she turned her back, she heard Simmons' chair scraped the floor. She thought that he stood up for courtesy but he reached out for her arm.

"Tell me why you don't want to take this job."

* * *

The team listening at the 12th Precinct knew that the time has come.

"Ask Tory to trace Sam's com," Beckett commanded. "We need to get her out of there immediately."

* * *

Sam looked at Simmons, her eyes telling what he wanted to know. She knew that outside, Garcia was ready for her, in case she does something to his boss.

"Hm. Your face," Vulcan said. "You want to look innocent, look like you don't know anything and yet, you do know something."

He threw her back in the chair.

"You know a secret about Senator Bracken. I think," he said. "This is deja vu for me. A week ago, I had someone here, a trusted confidante of the Senator. He knew something that I could have used to take Bracken down. Bigger than Detective Beckett's mother's case. But unfortunately, I have to kill him before he could break."

He brought the chair beside her and he tugged on her hair. Sam winced.

"Tell me, what is this secret?" he asked. "Garcia overhead something. Tell what it is."

Sam looked at Vulcan in the eye and said, "You want the secret? I will tell you the secret."

Simmons let her go. "Good girl."

He stood up and brought the chair back opposite her. But this was a huge mistake.

"The secret is not what, Simmons," Sam said, standing up, fire in her eyes. "The secret is who. The secret is me."

Simmons turned around to see Sam holding her katanas, one in each hand.

"So, you have to understand why I don't want to take this job. Senator Bracken is my father."

A couple of swift hand movements, reminiscent of a rhythmic gymnast's way of handling the clubs, Sam swung her katanas that only metallic flashes were seen.

And with that, Vulcan Simmons, powerful drug lord, dropped dead.


	10. Chapter 10

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE: CHAOS! Basically that's what's happening in this chapter, in one word._**

**_Reviews are welcome. :)_**

* * *

Garcia heard the commotion inside and burst through the door. He saw Vulcan Simmons on the floor in a pool of his own blood. The assassin, Sam Rodriguez, was holding what seemed like samurai swords in both hands, both with blood. Garcia started to shout but a sai was thrown his way. It went through his gut and the fast and accurate projectile pinned him on the wall. Sam went to him and retrieved her weapon. He slid down the floor.

She bent down and whispered to his ear, "Whatever he did, whatever he is, he is still my father."

Then she wiped her swords and sai on his shirt, went out the door and left Garcia for dead.

* * *

Captain Gates heard the whole thing over the coms. Beckett and Castle were with Tory of the IT department, locating the mansion where Sam was, and they left their shuriken coms at her office. She went over to the other room to tell them what she heard.

"Beckett," the Captain called out.

"Sir," Kate responded.

"Simmons is dead. Sam killed him."

* * *

The whole 12th Precinct was in chaos after Gates' announcement. Beckett had her com with her but she can hear nothing. She assumed Sam was already out of the mansion.

Gates had told them about Sam killing Simmons because the drug lord wanted Senator Bracken killed. She then had to tell them that Sam is actually the Senator's daughter and that they needed all units in the mansion Tory tracked at Beechhurst.

Castle was in the break room, listening to his own com, looking at Beckett, worried about their friend. Beckett was looking for him too so when their eyes met, fear that they may not see Sam again was written all over their faces.

"All patrol units are on their way," Esposito called out to the bullpen.

"Let's go," Gates announced.

* * *

Beckett had the gumball on in her Crown Victoria, thinking of what they would do once they reach the house. She didn't notice that her hands were trembling at the steering wheel until Castle slowly reached out and touched a hand.

"Kate," Castle said.

She looked at him, tears in the corners of her eyes.

"Bracken," she whispered. "We need to let him know."

Castle nodded and reached out for the phone. Just then, the coms crackled.

* * *

Sam went down the stairs three at a time. She doesn't know if Garcia had called the guards or called any security when he heard the noises in Simmons' room so she has to be careful. She doesn't even know if she could call the cops. She hadn't seen any phones except in Garcia's office and she didn't bring her own phone.

There was a guard just outside the door. She took the sai she wounded Garcia with and threw it at the guard on duty. He dropped dead and Sam retrieved the weapon.

She looked around to see if there were any other on alert. She saw a couple of girls, barely at the legal age to drink, in one of the rooms.

"Get out," she said. "Get out and never look back. Everyone's dead."

The girls ran out of the room in a hurry. A guard saw what happened and called for backup. Sam heard this and the sai went flying again. She now has to be really careful. She heard the radio on the guard's hand and she knew that when he wouldn't answer, they will investigate.

She walked around the house to find another exit. She saw another guard and did the same as with the others. They were on heightened alert. By now, Jones should be leading a pack.

"_I need to get to the exit_," she thought. She ran noiselessly down the hall, pressing her back on the walls to look at the corners, if there were guards roaming around. She presumed she was now in the west wing of the mansion. She needed to get to the middle.

"Going somewhere?" a voice behind her said. She turned around. It was Jones and he was pointing his gun at her.

"Hello Jones," she said. "I was trying to find the bathroom."

"With your swords in your hands?"

He saw right through her. Sam grinned wickedly, giving him a fiery look. "Observant. I like that in a man."

Jones fired but Sam was fast. She got through the small object before it got it her, cutting it in half with her katanas. She was like Deadpool, before he became Deadpool, when he was still called Wade. She was a master swordsman.

And that angered Jones. So he tried to tackle her but failed. Sam was agile and lithe, her training as kunoichi and as a rhythmic gymnast paying off, and got to him first. A hand-to-hand combat ensued between them and it didn't bother Sam that she was wearing an evening dress.

Jones knocked the katanas out of Sam's hand but she still had her sais and the shurikens. She threw the ninja stars at him and it hit him square in the chest. But he was wearing a Kevlar and it irritated Sam. Jones just smiled at her evilly and continued the combat.

He was good but not as good as Sam. Both were knocked at different ends and Sam found her beloved katanas. She picked them up and ran towards Jones. But Jones was ready.

* * *

Five minutes away, Beckett and Castle were listening to the fight happening at the other end of the com. And then they heard a gunshot.

* * *

Jones fell on the floor, one of Sam's swords pierced his heart.

Sam stood there, bloodied sword in her hand. She smiled, seemingly victorious. But she looked down, saw blood, and staggered. She too fell on the floor.

* * *

"Sam," Beckett called out to her friend, her voice breaking. "Samantha, can you hear me? Diana. Please."

She looked at Castle when there was no answer. She couldn't accept that what they both feared might have happened.

* * *

Sam was lying on the floor of the mansion, bleeding from her stomach where the bullet from Jones' Smith & Wesson hit her point-blank. She heard Beckett's voice in her com. She must have accidentally turned it on when she leaned back on the chair at Simmons' room an hour ago. Was it an hour ago? It seemed like a few.

She tried to answer her friend but excruciating pain emanated from her wound. Tears were falling on her face. She had never cried since she left home and right now she felt so alone. She uttered one word.

"Daddy."

Then she blacked out.

* * *

**_The end of the first story._**

**_A little preview of what the second story will be like: the opening chapter is parallel to Beckett's in _Rise_. But will she make it?_**

**_Thank you so much for going with me on this journey, for the support. As I've said, this is my very first Castle fanfiction and AU at that. Hope you will join me in the second story once I get it on paper._**


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